FAA Publishes NVG Advisory

A Flight Safety Flash was issued in 2008 by the Canadian Air Force’s Directorate of Flight Safety, which identified some red obstruction lighting systems that were clearly visible to the naked eye but not visible to NVGs. These lighting systems employ LEDs instead of traditional incandescent sources. The use of LEDs is becoming more common for almost all lighting.

Aviation Red light ranges from about 610 to 700 nanometers (nm), and NVGs approved for civil aviation (having a Class B Minus Blue Filter) are only sensitive to energy ranging from 665 to about 930 nm. Because LEDs have a relatively narrow emission band and do not emit infrared energy like incandescent lights, it is possible for them to meet FAA requirements for Aviation Red but be below the range in which NVGs are sensitive.

To read the full safety alert click here.